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André the Giant grew so fast that his own parents didn't recognize him. He left home at 14 and returned at 19, having already become a professional wrestler. As he explained his career choice, they realized they had seen him wrestle on TV under his alias, without knowing it was their son.

-Members Of The Elite Reportedly Turn Down Seven Figure Offers From WWE

While there has been interest in The Elite from virtually every major promotion in the world for months now, with contracts finally starting to expire the offers have begun pouring in. According to Dave Meltzer via the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, three members of the group turned down multi-year offers worth “more than seven figures” per year.

With Marty Scurll staying with Ring of Honor and Kenny Omega’s contract with NJPW not expiring until late January, it is assumed the three names in question are Cody Rhodes and the Young Bucks, Nick and Matt Jackson. It was also reported last month that Hangman Page had turned down offers from both WWE and Ring of Honor, although we were told by one source on the WWE side that his offer was for six figures, and not seven like the others.

The Elite has been connected to billionaire investor and Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, with several trademarks including “All Elite Wrestling” and potential hints at a sequel to their hugely successful September “ALL IN” event in Chicago.

“Mean” Gene Okerlund, perhaps the most recognizable non-wrestler of the business’ explosive Golden Era, has passed away at the age of 76.

Eugene Arthur Okerlund was born in a small town in South Dakota in December of 1942, and got his start in the broadcasting world working for a radio station out of Omaha, Nebraska. Shortly before turning 30 he made the jump to professional wrestling, working his way up through Verne Gagne’s American Wrestling Association, based out of Minneapolis.

Now a veteran behind the microphone, Okerlund was one of the many stars to move to the World Wrestling Federation in the mid-1980s, where he quickly became the company’s top backstage interviewer. As far as mainstream popularity goes, the dry, often sarcastic announcer was involved with so many of the business’ most legendary moments, alongside virtually every icon of his time, that he himself became one of those recognizable icons.

Apart from an 8-year stint in World Championship Wrestling until their close in 2001, “Mean” Gene would spend the rest of his life under the employ of the WWE. He confidently returned home to call the infamous Gimmick Battle Royale at WrestleMania X-Seven, and has been used in sparring, usually one-off appearances ever since.

Okerlund was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006, with none other than Hulk Hogan giving his introduction speech. He appeared as a character on the WWE Network reality series Legends House in 2016, the same year he was inducted into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame, as well as the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, and made his very last appearance for the company earlier this year at the 25th Anniversary of WWE RAW, interviewing then-world champion AJ Styles.

Gene was a transcendent figure in this business, and one with the incredibly rare quality that few ever had a bad thing to say about him. On a personal note, in the few times I have been fortune enough to come across Mr. Okerlund over the last decade or so, he has been nothing but friendly and a true pro — always willing to share a story (often without being asked) with a smile on his face.

In the immortal words of the Hulkster: “let me tell you something, Mean Gene!” On behalf of the millions of kids who grew up watching you on television, standing next to our heroes throughout the most incredible moments this business has ever seen — thank you for making our childhood an even more magical time.

Thank you for the interviews, for often being the “Ying” to the great Bobby Heenan’s “Yang”, and for convincing many of us all that Earthquake really did cripple Hulk Hogan all those years ago. Rest in peace, “Mean” Gene Okerlund.

Former professional wrestler and Instagram model Brooke Adams is suing her former landlord, claiming he wrongfully evicted her because of her emotional support dog.

Adams and her fiance, Weston Wayne Piper, started renting a house in the Greater Heights area of Houston in February 2017, according to court documents. When they moved in, they paid a pet deposit fee for a small dog named Noodles.

Then on Dec. 4, 2017, the couple brought home an emotional support dog named Waffles, for Adams – which is where their troubles began.

"He was just the cutest thing," Adams said about Waffles in court.

Adams testified that she suffers from depression and that Waffles helped her cope. She said she had posted a picture of Waffles on Instagram, explaining that he was a service animal, hoping to shed light on the reality of depression.

Fan Chen, who owns the property, and Rutkun Tao, the property manager, saw the post and noticed that Waffles was not the same dog as Noodles.

The day after Adams brought Waffles home, the two told Adams and Piper they violated the terms of their lease because they did not give prior notice about Waffles being on the property. They also asked that the couple pay an additional pet deposit fee.

Adams testified that they offered to pay the extra pet deposit fee, but that Chen and Tao refused to accept it. Instead, the landlords gave the couple two eviction notices in a matter of weeks.

Adams and Piper vacated the house on New Year's Eve that year.

Under federal housing laws, landlords are required to provide reasonable accommodations to tenants with service and assistance animals, such as an emotional support dog. Guidelines from HUD say that tenants must make requests to their landlords for accommodations.

Assistance and service animals are not considered pets under federal law, however.

Adams testified in federal court Tuesday that she believes she wasn't required to tell Chen about Waffles, saying that it was her "right" to have the dog.

About a month after Adams and Piper left the home, attorneys for Chen and Tao sent a letter to the couple demanding close to $14,000 for attorney fees, lost rent and other charges associated with the couple leaving the house.

The couple originally sued Chen in Texas state court, but that lawsuit was moved to federal court in November 2018.